11.7 Reasons for maintaining biodiversity

What are the 3 groups reasons for maintaining biodiversity can be organised into?

ecological, economic and aesthetic

What type diversity does maintaining biodiversity increase?

genetic diversity

Example of a potential benefits maintaining biodiversity could have in the future?

medicine

Ecological: interdependence?

how all organisms depend on each other for their survival

Ecological: what does interdependence mean will have a significant impact on species in an area?

the removal of one species (e.g. a food source or place to live may be removed)

Ecological: keystone species?

species that play a key role in maintaining the structure pf an ecological community - have a disproportionately large effect on their environment relative to their abundance

Ecological: what do keystone species do (2)?

affect many other organisms in an ecosystem and help to determine the species richness and evenness

Ecological: what happens when a keystone species is removed?

the habitat is drastically changed - all other species are affected and some may disappear altogether

Ecological: therefore, why is it essential to protect keystone species?

in order to maintain biodiversity

Economic: what is higher if biodiversity in an ecosystem is maintained?

levels of long-term productivity are higher

Economic: why is soil erosion and desertification an issue for countries in which it occurs?

reduces a country’s ability to grow crops and feed its people - which can lead to resource, and economic, dependence on other nations

Economic: what does soil erosion and desertification occur as a result of?

deforestation

Economic: what organisms are very important to conserve?

all organisms that we use to make things

Economic: what will non-sustainable removal of resources (e.g. hardwood timber) eventually lead to?

the collapse of industry in an area

Economic: when does it become not economically viable to continue the industry?

once all or enough of the raw material has been lost

Economic: what is still a key limitation even when ‘sustainable’ methods are used (e.g. replanting forests)?

the new areas won’t be as biodiverse as the established habitats they replace

Economic: what does large-scale habitat and biodiversity losses mean might become extinct?

species with potential economic important may become extinct before they are even discovered - e.g. undiscovered species in tropical rainforests may be chemically or medically useful

Economic: what does continuous monoculture result in?

soil depletion

Economic: soil depletion?

a reduction in the diversity of soil nutrients

Economic: how does continuous monoculture lead to soil depletion?

the crop takes the same nutrients out of the soil year after year and is then harvested, not left for the nutrients to be recycled

Economic: the results of this depletion of soil nutrients making the ecosystem more fragile (2)?

the crops it can support will be weaker (increasing vulnerability to opportunistic insects, plant competitors and microorganisms) and the farmer will become more dependent on expensive pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers in order to maintain productivity

Economic: what does high biodiversity provide protection against?

abiotic stressors and disease

Economic: examples of abiotic stressors (2)?

extreme weather and natural disasters

Economic: what can happen to crops where biodiversity isn’t maintained when there is a change in conditions or a disease spread?

entire crops can be destroyed

Economic: a positive of areas rich in biodiversity?

provide a pleasing, attractive environment that people can enjoy

Economic: therefore, what can high biodiversity promote?

ecotourism in the region - bringing associated economic advantages

Economic: what does maintaining biodiversity maintain the potential for?

manufacture of different products in the future - that are beneficial to humans (e.g. cures/treatments for diseases)

Economic: what are plant varieties needed for?

cross breeding - to introduce alleles

Economic: benefits of cross breeding to introduce new alleles (2)?

disease resistance or increased yield

Economic: what provides an invaluable reservoir of genetic material to aid the production of new varieties of crops?

the wild relatives of cultivated crop plants

Economic: what is the impact on the crop plants if these wild varieties are lost?

the crop plants may themselves become more venerable to extinction (also important ecologically)

Economic: what do scientists aim to do through genetic engineering?

aim to use genes from the wild plants and animals to make crop plants and animals more efficient

Economic: main reason for making crop plants and animals more efficient?

to reduce the land required to feed more people

Aesthetic: benefit of the presence of different plants and animals in our environment?

enriches our lives

Aesthetic: Who does the natural world provide inspiration for?

people such as musicians and writers - who in turn provide pleasure for many others through music and books

Aesthetic: what impact does a natural environment have on recovery (shown in studies)?

patients recover more rapidly from stress and injury when they are supported by plants and a relatively natural environment